Shishur Sevay

Mummy's lap is always a safe place

Today we met with the government committee charged with placing children and they have officially transferred K to Shishur Sevay.  K has been opening up, throwing and catching a ball, laughing, even walking from room to room on her own.  But this morning she was tearful and all day she was stoic.  She threw up in the car three times going there, none coming back.  She said nothing, but her eyes teared up again and again.  Home tonight she is laughing again, and playing peek-a-boo with me.  Last night the big girls were playing at chasing her and she came running to me and climbed onto my lap.

Today I also spoke with the government committee about Aunty’s home, and the eight children in the hospital.  The hospital wanted to discharge them and I’ve convinced everyone that they must be sent elsewhere, not back to Aunty’s home.  Aunty is grateful.  This committee is new and the women there are VERY nice.  Nothing bad happened!  I was there earlier in the week just to discuss K, and they were NICE then too.  After that I went to the hospital to see the eight children and they were NICE there too.  Then on the way home we stopped for ice cream and I returned a damaged DVD and the man was NICE there too!

I thought maybe the whole thing was some mal-alignment of the stars and planets over Kolkata, but today these committee people were NICE again.  And it’s not the stars because later in the day we met with a government official at Aunty’s who was NOT NICE and clearly has no interest in the condition of the kids.

I’m exhausted, and need to sleep but I really wanted to share our good news.

Oh, and yesterday I pressed and pressed the girls over a spelling test and they were eventually able to get at least 90%, some even 100%.  I was jumping up and down saying I knew they could do it, and that’s why it’s been so hard because no teacher ever thought ORPHANS could get so many spelling words right, or answers to any questions right.  The girls were grinning as I reminded them of ALL the teachers who said 50% was good enough and that they couldn’t do better.  I have girls who can’t do well and I don’t pressure them at all.  But some are really smart but they have been spoiled (a really appropriate word as this is so bad for them) by teachers setting the bar very low.

OK, got to get some sleep.  I’m smiling as I write this so I hope you are too.